The college cross country season gets underwaySaturday (Sept. 5) when Hope College hosts its invitational formen's and women's teams. For the first time, the invitational will be run at the Cityof Holland's Van Raalte farm on east 16th Street beginning at 11a.m. The invitational is one of the oldest collegiate crosscountry competitions in Michigan although it was not held in 1997because of scheduling problems. The men's Hope Invitationalstarted in 1966 while the women's invitational began in 1980.

Women's Cross Country Pre-Season Outlook

With the return of the nucleus of a team that competed in theNCAA championships, the Flying Dutch should again be one of theleading Division III women's cross country teams in the GreatLakes region.

In 1997 the Flying Dutch, coached by Mark Northuis, finishedsecond in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association(MIAA), qualified for the NCAA championships by finishing secondin the regional meet, and ended 17th at nationals in their firstappearance since 1994.

Leading the returning veterans are All-America runners EllenSchultz, a fifth-year senior from Glen Lake, Mich. (Maple CityHS), and Rebecca Timmer, a senior from Pella, Iowa (Pella HS). Last fall Schultz and Timmer finished 25th and 29th respectivelyat nationals. Schultz is a three-time All-MIAA cross countryhonoree. She is also an outstanding distance runner in trackhaving qualified for last spring's national championships.

The pre-season roster of 34 prospects includes 12 freshmen, 10sophomores, eight juniors and four seniors.

Leading the returnees are sophomore Joe Veldman of Sawyer, Mich.(Three Oaks-River Valley HS) and junior Paul Berke of Park Ridge,Ill. (Maine Township HS). They were both All-MIAA second teamhonorees last fall. Veldman finished ninth in the MIAAchampionship meet and was 16th at the NCAA Division III GreatLakes Regional.